Khaberni - The United States is demanding that Lebanon return a precise and sensitive missile that did not explode during the attack on Harat Hreik in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The Hebrew newspaper "Maariv" reported that the United States is pressuring Lebanon to return the unexploded "GBU-39B" missile from the raid that killed a leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Haitham Tabtabai.
The missile was found at the site of the Israeli aerial operation, and the American request has sparked political and security controversy in Beirut.
The "GBU-39B" bomb is one of the most precise and advanced weapons used by Western armies, and the United States is concerned about the disclosure of its sensitive technologies.
According to the Hebrew newspaper, the "GBU-39B" bomb is a smart bomb weighing 110 kg, equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and an inertial navigation system, capable of hitting a target with an accuracy within a one-meter radius.
Washington fears that the unexploded missile could be transferred to Hezbollah and from there to Iran, which could analyze its guidance and fuel systems, or to Russia and China.
The exposure of components such as the advanced AFX-757 explosives or activation mechanisms may allow the development of countermeasures, thus it is seen as a strategic threat.
The newspaper indicated that the Lebanese government found itself between a rock and a hard place, on one hand facing American pressure to return the missile as soon as possible, and on the other hand, the expected opposition from Hezbollah and its allies, who consider handing over the missile a violation of sovereignty and will try to portray it as evidence of American and Israeli intervention in Lebanon.
According to political sources in Beirut, the issue might escalate into a crisis, but it could be mitigated by a series of other expected events soon, including the Pope's visit, maritime border talks with Cyprus, and increasing tensions with Israel until the end of the year.
